West Maitland, Newcastle, etc, NSW

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The Late Mgr. Meagher. Maitland's Loved Vicar-General. His Life and Obsequies, Freeman's Journal, Sydney, 31 July 1924, p 19, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article123251578:

By the sudden death of the Vicar-General of Maitland, the Right Rev. Monsignor Meagher, P.P. of Singleton, which took place at the presbytery on Friday, the diocese has lost one of its most beloved priests. For the past year or two Mgr. Meagher has not enjoyed good health, and about three weeks ago he took a health trip to his relatives at Tamworth. While out with a shooting party he had the misfortune to slip on a rock. In the fall he injured his arm above the wrist. On top of this, he was suffering from a severe cold, and this accident caused a further shock, necessitating extreme medical care. It was at first thought the arm was broken, but examination disclosed that the injury was confined to a severe sprain. On Thursday, after his return, he went for a walk in the presbytery grounds, and appeared to be doing well. The sad end was a shock to the whole of the district, both to Catholics and non-Catholics, who all revered the saintly and gentle Vicar-General.

The late Mgr. Meagher was born at Springmount, Kilkenny, Ireland, 71 years ago. He was educated at St. Kieran's College, Kilkenny, and took his ecclesiastical course at Holy Cross College, Clonliffe, Dublin, where he had a distinguished career. After his ordination in Dublin in 1877, he came to New South Wales in the following year, and was appointed to the Cathedral staff by the late Bishop Murray. Afterwards he was Adm. at St. Mary's, Newcastle, for eleven or twelve years, and was appointed parish priest of Singleton in October, 1893, in succession to the late Very Rev. Father Foran. The late Monsignor held a high place in ecclesiastical counsels, being Vicar-General, and was also a Doctor of Divinity. The latter degree was conferred on him by the Bishop in 1914, after his Lordship's return from Rome.

Tributes of Affection
On Saturday the remains were taken to St. Patrick's Church, where prayers were recited by the Rev. Father J. O'Donnell. During the night the church was visited by hundreds of reverent mourners, not only from the deceased Monsignor's own flock but other creeds.

On Sunday at the 8 o'clock Mass, celebrated by the Rev. Father F.D. Kilgallin, who was associated for many years with the deceased, a touching tribute was paid by the celebrant. He stressed the love of the Monsignor for his people, and the reciprocal feelings of the people for him. There was a strong tie, he said, between the priests and the people of the Church, and in the case of Monsignor Meagher and his flock the links of love were stronger than the best, tempered steel. The deceased pastor had been a good shepherd to his flock, advising and counselling them without ceasing concerning the path which leads to eternal life, and many present had been under his spiritual guidance since their cradle days. His loss was a deep one, and would be felt more poignantly, after the first shock of his demise had passed away. Personally, he grieved sincerely, as the happiest years of his life had been spent with Monsignor Meagher.

Rev. Father T. Quigley, who has been at Singleton during the past three weeks, celebrated the 11 o'clock Mass. He asked the prayers of the congregation for Monsignor Meagher, and hoped that they would remember him in their prayers and Masses and Holy Communions.

The Solemn Obsequies. Bishop Dwyer and a Cherished Friendship
On Sunday afternoon the funeral of the beloved priest took place. It was one of the most impressive that has been seen in Singleton. It is estimated that over 2000 persons were present. Among those present in the church were: The Mayor (Ald. J.W.B. Waterhouse), Aldermen D. McDougall, B.J. Head, R.J. Tulloch, G.S. O'Halloran, and J.B. Kennedy; Messrs. C. Buchan (Town Clerk), A.B. Shaw, W.F. McDonald, W.J. Craig, W.W. Collins, W. Cameron, M.L.A., W.F. O'Hearn, M.L.A., T.W. Silk, W. Danks, P.G. Smith (Tamworth), Dr. A.S. Boorman, Messrs. J. McLachlan (Session Clerk) and W. Danks represented the Presbyterian Session.

The obsequies commenced with the saying of the Rosary by the Very Rev. Father P. M. Lynch, C.S.S.R.

At its conclusion, the Bishop of Maitland (Dr. P.V. Dwyer) paid a brief and feeling tribute to the memory of the late Monsignor. His Lordship said that on Tuesday there would be a Solemn Requiem, when a fuller tribute would be paid to the memory of the deceased by Father Lynch. However, he wished to express sorrow, in union with their sorrow; for the occasion was one of sorrow for all. The death of Mgr. Meagher was a sorrow to every child in Singleton, and to every family—especially every Catholic family; to every Sister and priest in the diocese, and to himself. The occasion of his death took away one who in life did much to direct those whom he had to deal with on their way to Heaven. He was a father and a pastor whom it would be hard to replace. For the past fifteen or sixteen years the deceased had been an able assistant in conducting the affairs of the diocese, and was a personal friend of nearly fifty years' standing. They were together as students in Dublin in 1877, and he would miss Monsignor Meagher very much, as he was a man in every sense of the word, and one whom all could admire and esteem. His word was his bond. The present generation knew him personally; many of them he had baptised. As a priest he was learned and he had been pastor in Singleton for thirty-one years. There was every reason to be thankful to God that through a priest of this kind they had kept up the practices of the Church, and he would ask them not to forget him in their prayers. Although he died suddenly, the Monsignor mutely appealed to them to pray for him. "I know you will do it," said his Lordship. "You attended Mass this morning and offered it for him, and I know you will attend the Requiem on Tuesday."

After the last absolutions, pronounced by his Lordship, a procession was formed. The pall-bearers were Messrs. W.J. Chapman, J. Martin, H.J. Griffin, E. Maher, J. Jordan, and C.J. Mungenberger.

The "Dead March in Saul" was played on the organ by the Sisters of Mercy. Outside there were the school children, the members of the friendly societies, and hundreds of mourners. After traversing the Queen, Kent, Bishopgate, and Cambridge streets, the remains were interred in the church. His Lordship officiated, and was assisted by Rev. Dr. J. Kavanagh, Very Rev. Fathers P.M. Lynch, C.SS.R., P. Roche, and V.F. Peters (Adm.), Rev. F.D. Kilgallin, J. O'Donnell, T. Quigley, and M. O'Connor.

Rev. W. Spence, of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, in a letter to Mr. J.C. Killalea (warden of St. Patrick's Church) expressed his sympathy in the loss sustained by the death of Mgr. Meagher.

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T.W. Campbell, The Priests of the Diocese of Armidale: A Necrology, Braddon ACT, 2005:
Maher, Peter

Listed in E J Doody, Acta et Statuta 1951, Appendix VI, Obituary List, in the section headed 'supplementary list of priests who have also worked in the diocese', but with no details other than the period he reputedly worked in the diocese, in this case 1878.
No details are held about a priest by this name or somebody closely resembling this name living and working in New South Wales at about this time. The source that resulted in Bishop Doody's listing is unknown.
(Source: Doody)

(Reproduced by permission of Tom Campbell.)